Mr. Patrick Flood. 15 May 1838. V 76 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 0485 With respect to the lands as to which you have given evidence, what is the average rent of those lands ?- I never struck the average; some were a guinea and a half an acre, and 38 s. others. 9486. What was the highest ?— I do not know; I should think 2 /. would be the highest. _ . 0487 What was the lowest ?— There is some so low as 12 s. an acre. 0488 If the lowest was 12 and the highest did not, exceed 2 /., would you think 35 s. an unfair average?— I think the lands upon Mr. Grevi le s estate would average 40 5. an acre, good and bad together, it they were let m the market. 9489. I ask you the rent paid for the lands as to which you have given evi- dence?— I think upon Mr. Greville's estate the average would be 40 s. an acre. 9490. You think the average rent of farms upon Mr. Greville's estate, as to which you have given evidence, is 40 s. an acre ?— No, they are not so high. 9491. What do you think is the average rent of the farms upon Mr. Gre- vilie's estate, as to which you have given evidence?— I think they would not average above 35 5. 9492. Then you tell me the average value of an acre of potatoes to a farmer who cultivates the land himself, is 14 guineas?— I said 14 /. 9493. Then if you take 35 s. from 14 /., what remains?—£. 12. 5 s. 9494. Then according to your notion of beneficial interest, every man who has one acre of land of that description, has a beneficial interest of necessity of 12 /. 5 s. a year ?— Certainly not. 9495. Why not?— There is the labour and seed, which the farmer is to be debited with, and the tithe composition is to be added to that, and the whole taken out of the 12/. 5 s. 9496. Add those sums, if you please; how much do you deduct for labour and seed ?— I deduct 6 /. 5 s. 0497. Then the profit of a man charging himself with labour and seed is how much ?— Only 6 I. 5 s. 9498. Then how is it you say it is more profitable for a man to cultivate the land himself than to let it in conacre, if he can make by conacre 8 /. or 9 /., as you told me he could ?— I did not say 8 I. or 9 /. for oats. 9499. Did you or not say that a man got 8 /. or 9 /. by conacre for potatoes ?— Yes. 9500. Now can you reconcile that statement with the statement you . have just made with respect to the profit he would make in cultivating it himself?— I say the potatoes, if he went into the market, would bring him 14/., or might bring him 16/., or 18/; my calculation is a low one at 14/., for I paid 14/. myself this year for potatoes. 9501. Now I ask you again to give me an average; my question is confined to the average; what an acre of potatoes is worth for a man to make the most he can of it; that is, what an acre of potatoes is worth to the man who cultivates it himself ?— I think 14 /. would be a fair average. 9502. Then what would you deduct for labour and seed ?— If a man were to pay for labour and seed, I have taken 6 /. for labour, seed, composition and charges, and then his rent is 35 s. an acre. 9503. Then what remains?—£ 6. 5s. 9504. How was it you told me awhile ago it was more profitable for a farmer to cultivate the land himself on his own account than to let it in conacre ?— I said it would be more profitable because, in the case of oats, he would keep the straw upon the land for manure. 9505. I am speaking of potatoes ?— I say though I only calculate 6 /. 5 5. a year, a man might make 10 /. 9506. I have included in my question the possibility of the utmost a man can make as well as the least, and I desire you to give me the average value? I have given a fair average value. 9507. Then if you have given me an answer upon the average value, why do you give me an answer upon the feeding, which is a peculiarly advantageous way of disposing of his crop?— I say a man might make 10 /. 9508. Then a man may have a beneficial interest of 10 /. upon an acre accord- ing to your understanding of beneficial interest ?— Yes, he might have a profit of 10/.; and I know an instance where a man had a profit of 10/. an acre upon wheat. 9509. Then V